Metal alloys which are most easily obtained in the amorphous state by rapid quenching from the melt state are mixtures of transition metals with metalloids, i.e. semimetals. U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,058 by Chen et al discloses iron (Fe)-nickel (Ni) alloys bearing phosphorus (P) and boron (B) having compositions that vary over a very broad range capable of forming metallic glasses in the form of sheets, ribbons, or powders with lateral dimensions on the order of tens of micrometers. Chen et al mentions that additions of aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), indium (In), Beryllium (Be), as well as germanium (Ge) within the range of up to 15 atomic percent were found to form such micrometer thick sheets, ribbons or powders. However, Chen et al provides no example of an Fe—Ni—P—B—Ge alloy.
Generally, there may be a small range of compositions surrounding each of the known metallic glass forming compositions where the amorphous state can be obtained in bulk form by rapid quenching from the melt state, that is, to be formed in millimeter size objects rather than micrometer size objects. No practical guidelines are known for predicting with certainty the precise compositional ranges that will encompass bulk metallic glass forming alloys that are “significantly better” glass formers than the marginal glass formers generally found over much broader compositional ranges (e.g. those disclosed by Chen et al). In fact, no practical guideline is known for predicting whether such a narrow range of bulk metallic glass forming alloys will even exist within the very broad range of marginal metallic glass forming alloys.
Due to the attractive engineering properties of Fe—Ni based P and B bearing bulk glasses, such as high strength, high toughness, bending ductility, and corrosion resistance, there remains a need to develop alloys with comparable engineering performance but with significantly improved glass-forming ability such that bulk engineering components can be produced.